Electromagnetically-operated counter



Sept. 1s 1923.

H.' L.. MERRICK ELECTROMAGNETICALLY OPERATED COUNTER 4 Sheets-Sheet l 11.- nlHrmufmmmmmm um Sept. 18, 1923. 1,468,490 H. L. MERRICK ELECTROMAGNET I CALLY OPERATED COUNTER Filed `June 13, 1917 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 lu/noauto@ L. MEHR/0M l Sept. I8 1923. 1,468,490`

H. L. MERRICK ELECTROMAGNETICALLY OPERATED COUNTER Filed June 13, 1917 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 6l, Y @i y Sept. 18, 1923. 1,468,490

H. l.. MERRICK ELECTROMAGNETICALLY OPERATED COUNTER Filed June 13 1917 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 3 wvento@ H L, MEW/.710K

m1? 7b i S @Riom/wij Patented sept. 1s, '1923.

HERBERT MERRICK, F PASSAIC, NEW JERSEY.

ELECTROMAGETICALLY-OYERATED COUNTER.

Application led'June 13, 1917. Serial No. 174,420.

To all 'whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, HERBERT L. MERRICK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Passaic, in the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and 'useful Improvements in Electromagnetically-Operated Counters, of which the following is a specification.

This invent-ion relates to electromagnetically actuated means to operate a counter or registering mechanism to register the movements of a mechanism or the revolutions of a rotatable element, `or to transmitand reglster the movements of one counting mechnism to another located at some distance from each other, and -it is the primary object of the invention to provide a mechanism of this character which will operate efficiently and positively under all conditions of use. p

A further object of the invention is to provide means to retainv the operating mechanism against movement after each operative movement to prevent accidental movement thereofand the counter or reg-.

istering mechanism.

It is another ob'ect of the invention to provide a device o this character in which ratchet mechanism connected to the counter is actuated by a to and fro movable lever and movement imparted to the lever through electromagnets co-operating with armatures carried by the lever, and said lever actuating means during the movement thereof to open and close the circuit for the respective electromagnets to alternately energize the magnets.v

With the foregoing objects, and other objects and advantages to be hereinafter described, in -view I have showninthe accompanying drawings an embodiment of my invention in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a casing in which the operative mechanism is enclosed and carried.

Figure 21's a cross sectional View taken on the line 2--2 ofFigure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line S-Bof Figure 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a front elevation with the cover of the casing removed and illustrating the operative mechanism.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional side elevation taken substantially on the line 5 5 of Figure 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a front elevation of electromagnetically operated means to operate ratchet mechanism to advance the counter mechanism.

Figure 7 is a sectioral side elevation taken on the line 7 7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a detail view of a contact terminal inthe circuit of an electromagnet; and

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view of the electric circuit for the electromagnetic means.

Similar characters of reference designate like parts through the differentl views of the drawings.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings the operative mechanism is enclosed and carried by a two-part casing, one part 10 carrying the operative parts and has perforated lugs or ears 11 for the engagement of screws to secure it to a suitable support, and the other part 12 in the form of a removable cover is removably secured to the part 10 by screws 13. The cover also has an opening with a window W to expose a row of numerals of the counter or registering mechanism therethrough.

A counter or registering mechanism isv removably supported in the casing section 10. Said mechanism may be of any suitable construction and comprises a series of numeral carrying disks or wheels having means to transfer or transmit the movements of one numeral wheel upon a complete revolution to the numeral wheel of next higher denomination, an aligned row of characters on said wheels being adapted to be exposed through windows 14 in a plate constituting a part of the carriertfor said wheels,iand through the window W in the casing cover, as clearly shown in Figures land 4t.

The counter mechanism is advanced or operated through a pinion 15 ixed to a rotatable shaft 16 meshing with a gear 17 rotatable with the primary mover or unit wheel of the counter, said pinion 15 being rotated by pawl and ratchet mechanism comprising a toothed wheel 18 having an uneven number of teeth and a striker or pawl 19 carried at one end of an oscillatory lever 20 pivotally supported, as at 21, said pawl having a pair of pallets 22, 23 adapted t0 engage at opposite sides of the ratchet wheel 18. The ratchet wheel is rotated and thereby the counter advanced through the pinion 15 and gear 16 by the pallet 22 engaging with a tooth of the wheel when the lever 20 moves in one direct-ion, and the pallet 23 engaging with another tooth of the ratchet wheel when the lever is moved ina reverse direction.

The lever 20 is moved to and fro by electromagnetically operated means comprising magnets supported at opposite sides of the pivotal support 21 for the lever, said magnets in the present instance being shown as a pair of magnets 24, 24 connected in series at one side of the lever support and a pair of magnets 25, 25 connected in series at the opposite side of the lever support. These magnets comprise fixed cores 26, 27 (Figure 6) engaging spools carrying coils or windings 28, 29 for the respective cores. Armatures`30, 31 in the form of plates of magnetizable material are connected to and carried by the lever 20, the latter being of non-magnetizable material, at Opposite sides of its pivotal support and in line with the cores of the magnets, the armature 30 being common to both the magnets 24 and the armature 31 being common to boththe mag,- nets 25. i

It will be obvious that as the magnets 24 are energizedthe armature 30 will be attracted to the cores thereof yraising the pawl carrying end ot the lever 20, the pallet 22 during this movement ot the lever engaging with a tooth of the rachetwheel, and the pallet 23 being moved out of the path of movement of the ratchet wheel, as shown in full lines in Figure 6, and that when the magnets 25 are energized the armature 31 will be attracted to the cores of said magnets lowering the pawl carrying end of the lever 2Q and during this movement of the lever the pallet 23 will engage with a tooth of and advance the ratchet wheel, the pallet 22 being moved out of the path of movement of said wheel, as shown in dotted lines in Figure G.

As stated it is an object of the inyentionn operated to provide electromagnetieally means to operate a counter or register to register the movements ot a mechanism, or the revolutions of a rotatable member, or to transmit and register the movements otone counter to another located at some distance therefrom. for which purpose there is connected to such a mechanism or counter a terminal contact of an electric circuit, as shown at 33 in Figure 9, in circuit with a source of electricity, shown as a' battery B, by a wire 34. which battery is connected in circuit with the electromagnets 24 by a wire 35 and in circuit with a contact terminal 36 through the magnets 25 b v a wire 40, and the magnets 24 are connected in circuit with the battery by a branch wire 41 leading from the wire 35 and in circuit with a terminal Contact 42 through the magnets 24 by wire 43. Assuming it is desired to transmit the movement of one counter to vanother the movable Contact 33 is connected to and rotatable with the primary mover of the counter the movements ot which are to be transmitted to another counter. It will be obvious that as the contact 33 rotates, for instance in the direction indicated by the arrow, it will be alternately placed in contact with the contact terminals 36 and 42 thereby alternately closing and opening or making and breaking the circuit for and energizing the respective magnets, and alternatively attracting the armatures 30 and 31 to the cores of the magnets and imparting a to and fro movement to the lever 20, which movements of the lever through the pawl-pallets `22, 23 impart rotative movement to the ratchet wheel 16 and thereby to the pinion 15 and gear 17 tothe primary mover or unit wheel of the counter.

Connected in the circuit wire 41 of the magnets 24 is a fixed contact terminal 44 and a movable contact terminal 45 to co operate with the contact 44 to open and close the circuit for the magnets 24. Also connectedin the circuitv35 of the magnets 25 is a tiltedterminal contact 46 and a movable Contact 4T to co-operate with the contact 46 to open and close the circuit for the magnets 25. By the provision of these contact terminals after the magnets 24 have been energized by the completion of the circuit through the contacts 33, 42 and the circuit wires 41, 43 and the armature 30 at-y tracted to the ycores of the magnets 24 the contact 45 will be moved away from the contact 44 to open the circuit for the magnets 24 and the latter de-energized- Simultaneously with the opening of the circuit for the magnets 24 the contact 4T will be moved into contact with the contact 46 thereby closing the circuit for the magnets 25 and putting them in condition to he energized when the contact 33 moves to position to contact with the contact 36 thereby completing the circuit through wires 40 and and as the contact 33 comes in contact with the contact 36 and the magnets 25 are energized the armature 31 will be attracted to the cores of the magnets 25 imparting movement t0 the lever 20 reverse to that imparted thereto when the magnets 24 are energized.

The terminal contacts 45 and 47 are secured to carriers 48, 49 which are in the form of resilient fingers of current conducting material, said carriers being fixed to pins 50, 51 and the pins pivotally supported at one end in a bus bar 52 insulated from thecasing and other mechanism and conand bus bar.

- tacts 46, 44 by the movement of the lever 2O and for which purpose arms 55, 56 are con nected to the respective contact carriers 48, 49, these arms being insulated from said carriers or made of insulating material.

`With the parts in the positions shown in Figures 4 and 6 with the armature 30 attracted -to the magnets 24 and the contacts 47, 46 for the magnets 25 in engagement the circuit forv the latter magnets has been closedthrough said contacts and the circuit through the contacts 44, 45 for thel magnets 24 has been opened due to a member 57 carried by i the lever 2() having been brought into engagement with the arm 56 moving the contact carrier 49 so that the contact 47 engages with the contact 46. `As the circuit through the contacts' 33, 36 for the magnets 25 is closed and Said magnets energized the armature 3l will be attracted to the magnets 25 thereby rocking the forward end of the lever 2O downward and simultaneously with this movement of the lever a member 58 carried by the lever will engage with the arm and move the carrier 48 for the con tact 45'so that the latter will engage with the contact 44 thereby closing the circuit for the magnets 24, and as the member 57 will be moved away from the arm 56 the contact carrier 49 will drop bygravity and move .the contact 47 out of engagement with the contact 46 thereby opening the circuit tor the magnets 25. To vary the movement imparted to the Contact carriers 48, 49 the members 57, 58 are adjustably connected to the lever 20, and in the present instance are in the form of cylinders secured to the lever eccentric to the axes lof the cylinders. To limit the oscillatory movement of the lever 20 a pair of stops 59, 60 are provided, one at the top and the other at the bottom of the lever. These stops are in the form of cylinders eccentrically supported and by the rotative adjustment of said cylinders the movement of the lever may be varied to 4compensate for wear of the pawl pallets 22, 23 or the teeth of the ratchet wheel.

To maintain the contact 47 in operative engagement with the contact 46, or the contact 45 in engagement with the Contact 44, the contact carriersy 49, 48 have secured thereto interengaging stops in the form of extensions 6l, 62 insulated from the carriers, or said extension stops may be made of insulating or non-conducting material. When the. armature 30 has been attracted to the cores of the magnets 24, as shown in Figure y 6, the member 57 carried by the lever 20 en gaging with the arm 56 will rock the con- Y tact ,carrier 49 with the stop 61 to the full gagement with the contact 44. In thisy position of the lever it will engage with the stop 59 and the member 58 will be in the full line position. During this movement of the lever the pawl pallet 22 will move `from the dotted line to the full line position and engage with a tooth of the ratchet wheel advancing such wheel. wWhen the contact 33 is moved to engage with the contact 36 the magnets 25 will be energized drawing the armature 31 to the cores of the magnets 25 rocking the lever 20 to the dotted line position shown in Figure 6, and during this movement of the lever the member 58 will engage with the arm 55 connected to the contact carrier 48 rocking said carrier to the dotted line position and the contact 45 into engagement with the contact 44 closing the circuit for the magnets 24. The stop 61 also being of such length to clear the under face of the stop 62 will drop by gravity into engagement with the abutment 63 and the contact 47 will drop out of engagement with the contact 46 thereby opening the circuit for the magnets 25. During this latter movement of the lever 2O the pawl pallet 23 will move from the full line to the dotted line position engaging a tooth of the ratchet advancing the same. It will be obvious that as the contact 33 comes into engagement with the contact 42 the magnets 24 will be again energized and the operation repeated.

In operation should the armatures 30, 31 be drawn quickly to their respective magnets and a consequent quick rocking of the lever 20 there is a possibility of the lever rebounding, since the engagement of the contact 33 with the contacts 36 and 42 is a rapid one and the circuit'for the respective magnets is rapidly closed and again opened and there might not be sufficient residual magnetism in the magnets to retain the armatures in engagement withthe cores thereof. To provide sulicient magnetism in the respective magnets to prevent any such rebound I provide a coil 64 one'end 65 of the windings of which coil is in circuit with the circuit breaker 46 of the magnet or magnets 25, and the other end 66 being in circuit with the circuit breaker 44 of the other magnet or magnets 24. As the respective magnets are energized by the vclosing ofthe respective circuits therefor the current will pass into the coil 64, and after the circuits are againV opened suiiicient current will remain in the vline position with the contact 47 in engagecoil 64 and be allowed to pass through the magnets to energize the magnets sufficiently to retain the armatures in operative engagement with the magnets to prevent rebounding of the lever with the possibility of the pawl pallets 22, 23 engaging a second tooth of the ratchet Wheel and thereby imparting more than one impulse to the ratchet Wheel and interfering with the proper registering movements of the counter or register.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination With a counter, and a source of electricity, of a wheel having an uneven number of teeth operatively connected with the prime mover of the counter; in oscillatory lever; a paivl carried at one end of the lever having a pair of pallets to engage at opposite peripheral portions of the Wheel and to have movement in a line parallel with the movement of the teeth of said Wheel, said pallets being constructed and arranged so that one pallet will engage a tooth and advance the wheel when the lever is moved in one direction and the other pallet will engage another toot-h and advance the i wheel when the lever is moved in reversed direction; a casing in which said mechanism is mounted and enclosed; a pair of electromagnetic means in circuit with the source of electricity alternately operative to oscillate the lever; and a circuit breaker in the circuit of each magnet operative by the lever to open and close the circuit to one magnet alternately With the opening and closing of the circuit for the other magnet.

2. The combination with a counter and a source of electricity, of a toothed wheel connected to the counter; a lever pivotally supported to move on an horizontal axis; a paWl carried at one end of the lever to co-operate with said toothed Wheel to rotate the same and advance the counter; magnets at opposite sides of the pivotal support of the'lever; means operable to alternately open and close the circuits for the respective magnets to energize and deenergize the same; an armature for the respective magnets connected to the lever at oppositecsides of its pivotal support and alternately `attracted to the respective magnets; and means operable by the lever to open the circuit ot the magnet toward which the armature is attracted and close the circuit or the other magnet, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination with a counter, of a Wheel having an uneven number of teeth operable with the prime mover of the counter; an oscillatory striker having a pair of pallets to engage at opposite peripheral portions of the Wheel and move in a direction parallel with the movement of the teeth of said wheel, one of said pallets being arranged to co-operate with a tooth of the-Wheel when the striker is moved in one direction t0 advance the wheel and the other pallet to cooperate with another tooth of said wheel to advance the Wheel upon the return movement of the striker; means to actuate said striker; and a casing in which said mechanism is mounted and enclosed.

4. The combination with a. source of electricity having a make and break contact in circuit therewith and a counter having a toothed Wheel fixed to the prime mover thereof, of electromagnets in circuit with the source of electricity; a pivoted lever carrying an armature and adapted to be rocked by the magnets co-operating with the armature; a lpaivl carried by the lever to cooperate with the toothed Wheel of the counter to advance said wheel upon each movement of the lever; a pair of fixed contacts and movable contacts in circuit with the magnets, said movable contacts being adapted to be alternatel moved by the lever into contact with the tived contacts to open the circuit of the magnet toward which the armature has been moved and close the circuit of the other magnet, and when one movable contact is moved into contact with a fixed contact the other movable contact operating to lock it in such position.

5. The combination with a source of electricity having a make and break contact in circuit therewith and a counter having a toothed wheel fixedv to the prime mover thereof, of an oscillatory lever carrying a pawl to co-operate with the toothed Wheel to advance the same upon each movement of the lever; electromagnets in circuit with the source of electricity disposed at opposite sides of the pivotal support of the lever; armatures carried by the lever to co-operate with the magnets to oscillate the lever; two pairs of contacts in circuit with the electromagnets, one contact of each pair being fixed; movable carriers for the other contact of each pair, said carriers being moved by the lever during the oscillatory movements thereof to alternately place the movable contact of each pair of contacts into contact with the xed contacts for the purpose specified.

6. The combination with a source of electricity and a counter having a toothed wheel fixed to the prime mover thereof, of a pivoted lever; magnets in circuit with the source of electicity arranged at opposite sides of the pivotal support of the lever;

.armatures carried by the lever to co-operate,

with the electromagnets to oscillate the lever; a pair of contacts for the magnets at each side of the pivotal support of the lever, one contact of each pair being fixed; a movaole carrier for the other contact of each pair of said contacts; an arm integral with each carrier; and means arranged on the lever to co-operate with said carrier arms to place the movable contacts alternately into lcontact with the fiXed contacts to alternately energize and de-energize the magnets at opposite sides of the pivotal support of the lever; and a pawl carried by the lever to co-operate with the toothed Wheel of the prime mover of the counter to advance the same upon each movement of the lever for the purpose specified.

7. The combination with a source of electricity, of a pivotally supported lever carrying armatures at opposite sides of its pivotal support; electromagnets in circuit with the source of electricity to co-operate with said armatures to oscillate the lever; a pair of pivotally supported contact carriers; an arm integral with each of said carriers; a pair of fixed contacts; and means carried by the lever at opposite sides of its pivotal sup port and adapted to tro-operate with the arms of the contact carriers to alternately move said carriers to position the contacts carried thereby into and out of contact with the fixed contacts to alternately energize and deenergize the magnets at opposite sides of the lever, and said contact carriers arranged so that the carrier which is moved to the contact making position is locked in such position by the other Contact carrier for the purpose specified. l

8. The combination with a counter, of a toothed Wheel having an odd number of teeth movable with the prime mover of the counter; an oscillatory lever carrying a striker to co-operate with the toothed Wheel of the counter to advance the same upon each movement of the lever comprising a yoke shaped member arranged to straddle the toothed wheel and have movement in a direction tangential to the periphery of the Wheel, one leg of which member is longer than the other and constituting pawl pallets and arranged so that as the lever is moved in one direction the longer pallet Will engage a tooth and advance the Wheel, and when the lever moves in reverse direction the short pallet. will engage a tooth and advance the Wheel for the purpose specified, and a casing in which said mechanism is mounted and enclosed.

Si ed at New York City, in the County and tate of New York, this 12 day of June A. D. 1917.

HERBERT L. MERRICK. 

